Hakyeon walked into work the next day feeling strangely optimistic. Maybe it was all the sleep. 

"Hi, Hyukkie," he had chimed to the boy who was obviously in a much less cheery mood. "What's with the nickname?" he replied bitterly, running his fingers through his hair, which was even messier than the day before.

Hakyeon raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?" he asked. Sanghyuk just brushed him off, staying silent, and Hakyeon decided it'd be best to leave him alone after that. 

A couple more people came in that day than the previous day, and it just fueled Hakyeon's cheery mood. 

Leo still dwelled in his mind though, so you can imagine his surprise when once again around 4 o'clock him and the little girl walked through the door. 

He felt like he was falling all of a sudden. There was the person who he'd been thinking about since the last time he'd seen him, and he didn't even know his real name.

They strode up to the counter, and Hakyeon smiled widely at them, confidence filling his face though his heart was picking up.

"What can I get for you?" he asked them, with no stutter this time. Just like before, the little girl raised up onto the tips of her toes. "Both of us will have a scoop of vanilla in a cup," she told him again, just like yesterday. 

It made Hakyeon wonder as he locked with Leo's haunting eyes if she always ordered for him. 

He didn't bother asking about toppings. Maybe he should have, he considered afterwards, but he didn't. 

Leo paid without saying anything once again, and they sat down at their table, Leo still not speaking loud enough for Hakyeon to hear him. 

He stared longingly at them again, quietly sighing. 

He felt so conflicted. He didn't want to make Leo uncomfortable by talking to him when they were ordering, (on the assumption they'd be coming again, that is) but he really wanted to get to know him. 

And how else was he to talk to him? He sure as anything wasn't going to stroll up to them and start a conversation while they were in the middle of their own. 

When they were finished, Leo and the little girl walked out of the little shop for the second day, but Hakyeon felt confident they'd come back again.

And come back they did, the next day at the same time. And the next day. And the next day, and the next. And Hakyeon still didn't even know Leo's real name. And had never heard his voice. He had remembered their order, to the point where the little girl didn't even have to raise up onto her tiptoes to order anymore.

In truth though, it did hurt him a bit seeing Leo every day and not being able to talk with him, but he seemed happy with the little girl, and that made him feel happy as a result.

Maybe working at this ice shop wasn't so bad.

--

But you know what is bad? This chapter lmao I'm sorry guys. It's wayyy too short again, too. It'll be better next time, I have something more interesting planned ;3 Alright, until then, stay awesome my fellow Starlights ~~